

There is somewhat [similar
question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/52138/whats-the-
difference-
between-%E3%81%95%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%81%9F%E3%81%A0%E3%81%91%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B%E3%82%93%E3%81%8B-%E3%81%95%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%81%9F%E3%81%A0%E3%81%91%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E3%81%A7%E3%81%97%E3%82%87%E3%81%86%E3%81%8B-%E3%81%95%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%81%9F%E3%81%A0%E3%81%8D%E3%81%9F%E3%81%84-%E3%82%93%E3%81%A7%E3%81%99),
but mine is not about the degrees of politeness.

As far as I understand, Vていただけませんか literally means something like “would I be
able to get V from you?”. So, it's used with verbs when the speaker is the
receiver of the verb's action: 教える, 貸す, etc.

And then, there is an exercise:

> すみません、ちょっと聞いて（＿）ことがあるんですが

with the choice between ⭕️いただきたい and ❌いただける.

Why is いただきたい is used here? Wouldn't it mean literally “I want to receive a
question”? Can, for example, 借りる be used similarly with たい form? Can these
verbs be used with Vていただけませんか?


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politeness reading-comprehension giving-and-receiving
Which verbs can come with Vていただけませんか and Vていただきたい?


It's the helper verb いただく (or もらう in neutral language) that puts the speaker
on the receiving end, not the main verb. The main verb can be anything as long
as it refers to an action by someone else, including the listener, that the
speaker sees as a favor or service for them and therefore appreciates. In the
sentence of the exercise, the listener's action of listening to what the
speaker has to say would be a service of which the speaker is on the receiving
end. In more practical terms, いただく or もらう as a helper verb adds a sense of
gratitude to the main verb.


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A very literal translation of this is:

> 聞いていただきたいことがある
>
> There is something to which I want to (humbly) receive the favor of (your)
> listening.

聞いて (te-form of 聞く) refers to the listener's action (hence " _your_
listening"), and this action is what the speaker wants to "receive". いただく
(which is a humble version of もらう) refers to the speaker's action of receiving
(the favor). It's directly followed by たい, making it "I want to receive".

A little more natural version of this sentence in English would be "There's
something I want you to (kindly) listen to". An even simpler version would be
"There's something I want to discuss with you".

I understand that it can be confusing at first, but this is a basic usage of
the `te-form + もらう` construction, so please read your textbook and practice
until you become comfortable.


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